From your first art projects to the latest masterpiece, X-ACTO® is one tool an artist never outgrows. For generations, the creative community has entrusted us with their work, cut after cut and creation after creation. X-ACTO takes that trust seriously, delivering the precision and versatility your work demands. Here you’ll find even more to empower your work and help you bring your next inspiration to life.

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artists' Projects

WINTER INSPIRATION

X-ACTO® presents a plethora of fun, seasonal projects to keep ​you inspired as we transition into the cool, winter months.

One of the paper craft pattern trends of the year is the chevron. The chevron is basically a series of V’s in a row, but the pattern can either be bold or somewhat subtle depending on the color and level of contrast.

Every January, special events take place in many different cities around the world. Chainsaws and carving tools are sharpened in preparation for spectacular feats. January is prime season for ice sculpting.

Painting snow can be trickier than you think. Even though snow is, in essence, white, when you closely observe it, you will notice a multitude of colors.

Artists' Tip

Atomic Inspiration

When you are inspired to create, make sure to reach for the best in the industry. The Z-Series blade is the sharpest, most durable blade ever! This golden blade has an atomically sharpened cutting edge. For a seriously sharp cut every time. Now that's inspiring.

Artists' Tip

Dress It Up with a Simple Homemade Stamp

Cut a simple shape, like a heart or a star, out of a rubber eraser with your sharp X-ACTO knife to make an instant stamp. You can dress up any gift tag or present with it in a flash

The Monster-A-Day project is a great exercise for any artist! It stretches your creative muscle by challenging you to create a new monster every day for a month. Download and print the borders and get your monster portfolio started!

It’s fall! It’s the season when you test your artistic chops out on that orange gourd—the pumpkin. For most, Halloween is all about the costumes and the candy. But for artists it’s the time to switch up your skill set and expand your creativity.

Create layers of artwork and dimension with paper and mixed media techniques.

Artists' Tip

Heavy Metal

The X-ACTO 12” Metal Base Rotary Paper Cutter is a heavy-duty tool to get the job done. The rotary action allows you to make multiple cuts on different axes. This cutter’s sturdy metal base and aluminum rail provide precision and accuracy every cut you make. This is the versatile tool to have around for any size job.

Artists' Tip

Squeeze it Out

Get the last bit of paint out of your tubes and save money. You can buy a special tool that squeezes out the last of your paint from the tube, OR you can use tools you most likely already have in your art box. By holding your paint tube on a flat hard surface and using the edge of a palette knife or straight-edged ruler, you can push the last bit of the paint out by starting from the bottom and slowly working your way up to the top until all the paint is gone.

Wood block printing is an age old art form. It's just like using a regular stamp, but with the design carved out of wood. You can create some really intricate designs and beautiful art pieces with carved wood blocks.

Paper—something every artist has in common. We’ve all used it. It’s where many great pieces of art start. Beyond its everyday uses, paper is actually one of the most versatile tools any artist will touch.

Most children enjoy coloring and craft projects. But what if your child seems to show a deeper interest in art? Helping to nurture an artistic talent at an early age will prepare them for future pursuits.

The leaves are falling and nature has temporarily changed its palette. The warm reds and oranges of the leaves scintillate against the muted tones of the branches. It’s a time for dramatic lighting, and long shadows.

Artists' Tip

Freedom to Free Form

Feel the freedom of the X-ACTO hand-held Free-Form Cutting Tool. This lightweight rotary tool allows you to easily go from one cutting surface to the next. Its compact size makes it easy to carry with you for on-site cutting

Artists' Tip

The Art of Sharpening

Add beauty and form to your workspace with the X-ACTO Spira electric pencil sharpener. Its attractive design sports some slick built-in features including a “trap door." Just push a button—the base pops open to easily empty the contents of the oversized shaving receptacle. The X-ACTO helical steel cutter sharpens every pencil to a smooth, sharp point. It’s art in motion.

In art, anything can be a canvas. For over 700 years the people of Thailand have been sculpting fruits and vegetables into masterpieces. The art form is called "Kae-sa-lak" and is the official art of Thailand.

While summer is winding down, the festival season is just hitting its stride. Around the country, in big cities and in small picturesque towns, the final weekends of summer are being celebrated with local fairs and festivals.

It's hard to find a color that doesn't possess its own beauty. The trick is making color combinations that enhance the beauty of the colors around them. But how do you choose your color combos?

Artists' Tip

See Through Your Art

A self-healing cutting mat is a must-have tool for any paper crafter or artist. But a translucent or transparent cutting mat can be a must-have tool when planning out your designs. If you are creating different layers in your art, place bottom layers under a translucent cutting mat and cut the next layer on paper on top of the mat. You can make it extra transparent by placing it over a light box which will allow you to use a drawing or template without having to transfer onto your paper. The benefits of a translucent cutting mat are crystal clear!

Artists' Tip

What You've Been Waiting for...

The X-ACTO Retract-A-BladeTM knife has X-ACTO precision without the cumbersome cover. The fully retractable #1 blade makes this knife safe and easy to take anywhere. For added control, the handle has a comfort grip and anti-roll feature. It’s everything you love about X-ACTO and more.

As artists, we are used to the ebb and flow of creativity. Some days we are inspired by everything we see. Inspiration for future projects are around every corner. The next day may be harder, with a stark white canvas sitting in front of us, and no ideas.

Mosaic art has been around since the time of Homer and the Odyssey. The art form was used to enhance flooring and walls. Early mosaics where designs made using inlaid pebbles. Throughout history mosaics have evolved as materials become available. Brightly colored stone, glass, ceramic tiles, and gold pieces were later used to create scenes for churches and other buildings.

Paper cut illustration has a really long history, but many paper artists nowadays enhance their hand cut creations with the aid of the computer. You can create intricate cuts with your X-ACTO knife and the layering of different papers, but many artists take it to another level without making it feel electronic.

Paper cutting is an art with a long history. Its first origins date back to the 4th century after the invention of the paper by the Chinese. Some of their earliest uses for papercutting were for religious decorations or stencils used for patterns in embroidery. For a long time, this art form was popular among high-society women, but it soon spread to other classes. Paper cutting practices ranged from the skilled craftsman to its evolution into the folk art world. People displayed paper cut desig

Cutting thin lines in a paper is one of the most challenging aspects of an intricate papercutting design. If you are just learning to master this skill, a quick tip is to begin with thicker paper. It will hold the shape better and withstand a cut design more easily.